Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The hemicycle houses of Châlons-en-Champagne were built in the 18th century to replace the medieval gate of Marne, collapsed in 1770. This architectural ensemble, located at the entrance of the city side river, symbolically marked the road to Paris and Troyes. Initially, a simple wooden door and a grant office occupied the site after the demolition of the medieval castle in 1788.

In 1848, under the direction of architects Eugène Collin and Alexis Vagny, the current hemicycle buildings were erected, framing the rue de Marne. These two-storey stone facades replaced the temporary structures. The roofs, initially hidden by a balustrade, were modified during the 1950s restorations, after the damage sustained during the 1940s bombings.

The ensemble, which was listed as historical monuments in 1941, originally included two grant offices, destroyed in the 1950s for practical reasons. Today, the building on the right houses shops and houses, while the building on the left serves as a postal annex. The gate which closed the door in 1882 was re-installed as the gate of the Jard.

An arc of ephemeral triumph, erected in 1808 in honour of Napoleon, was destroyed in 1814. Built with stones from the old Church of St Mary, it illustrates the political upheavals of the time. The current, though modified, facades retain their original structure, a testament to 19th century urban planning.

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